Automatic car retarder



Dec. 29, 1964 N. c. 1.. BROWN AUTOMATIC CAR RETARDER Original Filed Sept. 17, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet l N. c. L. BROWN 3,163,259

AUTOMATIC CAR RETARDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 29, 1964 Original Filed Sept. 17', 1958 i iom mm mmg mwn MOE INVENTOR.

BY N. CL. BROWN HIS ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1964 c. 1.. BROWN 3,163,259

VAUTOMATIC CAR RETARDER Original Filed Sept. 17, 1958 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 N a i 0 I I 21 z CM I! L Ii: [1 rum-3 1 J I I, I

INVENTOR. N.C.L. BROWN Y zmw HIS ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1964 N. c. L. BROWN AUTOMATIC CAR RETARDER Original Filed Sept. 17, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y mw M R m 0 M w 18 S o oo. o m 5 mm mm m mm 3 g mm mm mm Nb 8 3 g mm mm mm N Nd mi N; m 3+ mm mm I 3 om A// M/Il/l 1 0' v I O 0 mQI NOE o. 5 N m m FFv 0H0 t m m Mr AI! HU 1w United States Patent C) 3,163,259 AUTOMATIC CAR RETARDER Ned C. L. Brown, Scottsville, N.Y., assignor to General Signal Corporation, a corporation of New York Original application Sept. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 761,533. Divided and this application Sept. 12, 1262, Ser. No.

9 Claims. or. 188-62) This invention relates to a weight-automatic car retarder and more specifically relates to such a retarder employing a succession of substantially independent retarder units. This application is a division of my copending application, Ser. No. 761,533, filed September 17, 1958 and no claim is intended to be made herein to the subject matter claimed in such prior application.

A car retarder as contemplated by the present invention is of the track brake type for use in the trackway at any point where it is considered desirable to reduce the speed of a free rolling railway car, either to cause the car to leave the retarder at a predetermined speed, or under other conditions to hold the car in the retarder. Such retarders are generally used in a hump classification yard as a means for causing all cars being classified to reach their destinations in the respective classification tracks at desired coupling speeds. The retarders may also be used at the ends of the classification tracks to stop and hold the first cars entering these tracks.

The car retarder provided by the present invention is of the weight-automatic type and provides improvements over the car retarder disclosed in my copending US. Patent No. 2,858,907, dated November 4, 1958. These improvements comprise better bearing supports, including self-aligning bearings, the addition of thrust bearing structure, improved adjustment features, and improved spring suspension of the dead weight of the retarder.

The retarder provided by the present invention comprises a succession of substantially independent retarder units adjoining end to end, each unit comprising, in associating with each rail, a pair of shoe beams and a substantially independent operating mechanism, one of these operating mechanisms being associated with each point where ends of shoe beams are adjoining. Each of the operating mechanisms can be operated independent of any other operating mechanism of the retarder to a selected open or closed position, the respective operating mechanisms being automatically controlled in accordance with the amount of retardation required.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved weight automatic car retarder structure including improved self aligning bearings, improved adjustments, and improved structural supporting means.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawings and in part pointed out as the invention progresses.

In'describing the invention in detail, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letter reference characters are used to indicate similar parts which are generally made distinctive by preceding numerals, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a car retarder constructed according to the present invention with certain sections of the retarder removed for the purpose of illustrating details of the assembly of a typical operating unit;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; 7

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the view of FIG. 2 with certain parts broken away to show details of the structure;

FIG. 4 is a view in exploded perspective of bearing 7 3,163,258 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 See support means for a typical track rail at an operating unit;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the retarder taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged elevational sectional view of the retarder taken along the line 66 of FIG. 1 with certain parts removed;

FIG. 7 is an elevational sectional view of the retarder taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an elevational sectional View of the retarder taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an elevational sectional view of the retarder taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 is an elevational sectional view of the retarder taken along the line Ill-10 of FIG. 6.

With reference to FIG. 1, the car retarder provided by the present invention comprises several pairs of brake beams B disposed end to end along each of the track rails 38 and 31, the beams of each pair being laterally disposed, one on the inside and the other on the outside of its associated track rail. Thus the beams B1, B2 and B3 are disposed end to end on the outside of rail 30, and the beams B4, B5 and B6 are paired up with the beams B1, B2 and B3 respectively on the inside of the rail 30. Similarly, the beams B7, B8 and B9 are disposed end to end on the inside of rail 31, and the beams B10, B11 and B12 are disposed on the outside of rail 31. These beams have removable shoes 32 suitably secured to their inside surfaces for the purpose of bearing against the Wheels of cars to be retarded.

The ends of the brake beams B are supported by operating units U disposed transverse of the trackway and beneath the track rails as is illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the units U comprising two oppositely disposed levers L having a common journal near their inside ends and having their outside ends supported on fixed supports such as tie plates 33. The tie plates 33 extend across the outside ends of railway ties 34 for the stretch of track in which the retarder is disposed. More specifically, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, a typical operating unit U3 is illustrated as having an outside lever L1 and an inside lever L2, these two levers having a common journal pin 35 at their inside ends. of the lever L1 is supported on the tie plate 33, and the outside end of the lever L2 is supported on a piston P, which is operable elevationally within a cylinder C.

The cylinder C in turn has trunnions 37 at its base which are disposed in bearing blocks 38 supported in a saddle 39 secured between adjoining ties 34 at a point substantially midway between the track rails 30 and 31.

When no car has its wheels within the brake shoes of an operating unit U, the levers L of the unit are prevented from collapse by leaf springs 40 extending longitudinally beneath both levers L. For example, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, two laterally spaced leaf springs 40 ex tend beneath the levers L1 and L2, these springs 40 being secured at one end to the underside of lever L1 by bolts 41, and at the other end to the underside of lever L2 by adjustment bolts 42 which extend through lugs 43 in the sides of the lever L2, whereby the normal elevational posi tion of the operating mechanism is adjustable to maintain the brake beams B elevationally in the desired normal position. The brake beams B are biased away from the associated track rail-s by' U-shaped leaf springs 44 (see FIGS. 1 and 5) engaging respective associated opposing brake beams B through openings 45 in these beams.

The outside end 7 ment or the leverLl elevationally as required in opening and closing the retarder and as may be required upon retardation of cars having different width wheels. The pads 48 are flat onthe bottom and are free to slide on a portion of the tie plate 33 having a smooth surface, but the tie plate 33 has serrations 52 outside of the feet 4'7 for adjustably securing cooperating clamps 49vwhich have flanges 49a extending over the feet 47. The clamps 49 are secured by bolts 50 .(see FIG. 1) to the tie plate 33 so that the feet 47 are secured to the tie plate 33 in a mannor to permit .elevationally pivotal movement of the lever L1 but notlateral movement. As shown in FIG. 3, the top 4711 of each foot 47 is conveXx so that it contacts the flat under-surface of the flange 49a only at a center point, thus permitting movements as mentioned above.

As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the typical lever L1 extends under the track rail 31 and terminates in trunnion bearings 53 which are journaled on journal pin 35. EX-

tending from both sides of the leverLl at a point below the track rail 30 are lugs 54 which extend over adjoining railway ties 34. The lugs 54 serve as end thrust bearings for the associated retarder operating unit and also serve as support on the railway ties 34 for trafiic through the retarder when the retarder is open.

Arectangular opening 55 is provided in the lever L1 in a central location beneath the track rail 30. This opening is for the purpose of receiving bearing brackets 56 (see FIG. 4), which are in turn suitably secured, as by welding, to the underside of one of a pair of splice bars 57, which are in turn secured by bolts 58 to adjoining ends of sections of rail 30. Where insulated rail joints are required for the establishment of timing track sections at the ends of certain of the retarder sections, insulation 59 is provided between the spice bars 57 and the rail sections of the rail 30, together with other insulation as required for the establishment of insulated rail joints.

Thelever L1 is provided with an upwardly projecting abutment v60 (see .FIG. 3) which bears againsta halfthe lever. L2 has trunnion bearings 63 on a journal 64.

The, journal 64 is carried on the upper end of the plunger P.

A crank 65 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) is carried on the journal 35 between the trunnion bearings '62 of the lever L2. This crank has a journal .66 at its upper end cooperating with sockets 67 of the adjoining ends of inside brake beams B to support and actuate these beams. The other end 68 of the crank 65 is adjustably secured to the lever L2 by bolt 69 which has a suitable anchor 70 fitted 'with in a cooperating socket formed in the lever L2 to permit whatever angular movement may be required for the bolt 69 when adjustment is made in connection to the crank 65 to compensate .for wheel wear and the like.

The levers L3 and L4 are similar in structure to the levers L2 and L1 respectively, except that the lever L3 has trunnion bearings 71 disposed between the trunnion bearings 63 of lever L2 on the journal 35.

The outside brake beams B are secured at both ends to the associated track rails by bolts 58 as is shown in FIG.

3, these bolts also being effective as has been described to secure the splice bars 57 to the rail 30. The inside brake I beams B are supported at their adjoining ends solely by the journals 66 of the cranks 65, a single journal 66 cooperating with the adjoining ends of adjoining inside brake beams B so that these adjoining ends are maintained in alignment and are operated together by the operating mechanism.

Spring biased centering mechanisms CM (see FIGS. 1 and 3) are provided for each operating unit U to maintain the track rails within limits required for proper track gauge, but yet permit the gauge to vary in accordance with different wheel widths, and in accordance with the wear of the outside brake shoes 32. The mechanisms CM also serve as thrust bearings in that they have abutment 72 to take end thrust as transmitted through the ends of the lugs 54 of the lever L1. Such an end thrust is set up as a result of the tendency of a car under retmdation to drag the retarder along the trackway in the direction of motion of the car.

To consider the structure of the centering mechanism CM more specifically, reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 3 wherein horizontally disposed opposing plungers 73 are'biased by suitable springs 74 against the sides of the lugs 54 on the opposite sides of the lever L1. These mechanisms CM are secured to the surface of serrated plates 75 which are in turn welded to suitable tie plates 76 on the top of railway ties 34. The serrations are in a direction normal .to the direction of traffic so that the thrust abutment 72 is adjustable to a position as illustrated in FIG. 1 contacting the ends of the lugs 54. The centering mechanisms CM are secured in theiradjusted positions by bolts 77. It will be noted that the'plungers 73 are operable longitudinally only to an extent-limited by stops 78, and that the extent of movement is such as to permit theshifting of the gauge of the track within limits to permit changes in gauge for different width wheels and for wear of the brake shoes 32, but the stops78 prevent a spreading of the rails to an extent to permit the gauge to become too wide tor safe operation of the cars.

It will be noted that the normal lateral position of the track rail 30, for example, is adjustable by turning nuts '79 to either compress or lengthen the spring 74 of the associated plunger 73. Thus, it it is desired that the rail 30 should be normally positioned for wider gauge than is shown, for example,- with reference to FIG. 3, the lefthand nut 79 of the centering mechanism CM is tightened and the right-hand nut 79 is loosened a corresponding amount. A similar adjustment may be made for the other mechanisms CM as required to obtain the desired normal disposition of the track rails. Such adjustment moves the lubs 54 .of lever L1 to the left, and thus moves the rail each rail section as has been described. Formed in the base of the bracket 56 is a concave bearing socket for cooperating with a free floating bearing pad 81, having a convex upper. surface 81a and a flat base 811) which rests on the upper surface of the lever L1. Thus,.because of this bearing, the railis free to maintain a vertical position while the lever L1 is raised and lowered about its left support as required to compensate for ditferent width wheels ofcare passing through the retarder.

With reference to FIGS. 6-10, a'structure is provided midway between the operating units U for maintaining the brake beams B relatively level, thus resisting the tendency, when retardation is applied to the wheels of a car, of the beams B to be rotated axially by the braking action. This organization comprises telescoped channel levers TLl and TLZ extending transverse of the trackway and beneath the track rails. The outside lever TLl comprises laterally spaced channels 82 and 83, and the inside channels TL2 comprises oppositely disposed channels 84 and 85, suitably joined at their edges as by welding. The channels 84 and 85 are disposed within a space formed between the channels 82 and 83. The brake beams B asamazes sociated with the left-hand rail 30 as shown in FIG. 6, are detachably secured to the outside channel lever TL1, while the brake beams B associated with the track rail 31 are detachably secured to the inside channel lever TL2.

Hook anchors 86 and 87 are provided for anchoring the outside base edges of the brake beams B associated with rail 30 to the outside channel lever TL1, and hook anchors 88 and 89 are provided for anchoring the outside base edges of the brake beams B associated with rail 31 to the inside channel lever TL2.

As will be readily apparent from FIGS. 6 and 7, the hook anchor 86 has base legs 90 suitably secured respectively to the outside channels 82 and 83 as by welding. A hook 91 is formed at the left-hand end of the anchor 86 and engages an opening 92 near the base of the outside of the brake beam B2. An inside hook 95 is also formed in the hook anchor 86 as is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 which is inserted in an opening 93 formed in the inside base of the brake beam B2 and is maintained in position by an abutment 94 in the base of the brake beam B2. The hook anchor 87 is constructed similar to the anchor 86 and is similarly secured to the channels 82 and 83. The hook anchor 87 acts in the same manner to engage the brake beam B5 except that the hook anchor 87 is not provided with inside anchoring lugs corresponding to the lugs 95 of the anchor 86.

The structure and function of the hook anchors 89 and 88 correspond with the structure that has been described for the hook anchors 86 and 87 respectively except that the anchors 88 and 89 have legs 96 extending downwardly and welded to the inside channels 84 and 85.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the bases of the outside channels 82 and 83 are bridged by a yoke 97 which is welded to the base of the channels 82 and 83. A slide plate 98 is welded to the base of the inside channels 84 and 85. This slide plate 98 rests on the yoke 97 to permit the inside channel lever TL2 to slide axially within the outside channel lever TL1.

At the right-hand end of the levers TL1 and TL2, the channels 82 and 83 are tied together at their bases by a suitable strap 99 (see FIG. 6). The right-hand end of the levers TL1 and TL2 is supported by a yoke 100 welded to the inside beams 84 and 85 and extending beneath slide plates 101 which are secured to the respective channels 82 and 83 and bear on the yoke 100. Thus the levers TL1 and TL2 are freely suspended beneath the brake beams, and the lever TL2 is free to slide within TL1 in accordance with ditferences that may occur in the gauge of the track rails as has been heretofore considered.

The general principles of application of braking pressure to the wheels of a car dependent upon the car weight are similar to those described in detail in my prior US. Patent No. 2,858,907, dated November 44, 1958, thus it is considered unnecessary to describe these principles of operation in detail. For the purpose of understanding the present invention, however, it is sufiicient to state that the weight of a car on the track rails applies braking pressure to the sides of the car wheels by the weight of the car attempting to collapse the oppositely disposed levers L1 and L2, which in turn are supported, when the car retarder is closed, only at their outside ends, thus creating a pincers type of operation. The elevational position of the piston P of FIG. 3 determines whether the retarder is opened or closed by either causing the lugs 54 of the lever L1 to be supported by the ties 34 and thus support the weight of the car, for an open position, or by raising the lever L2 high enough for a closed position to cause the lugs 54 to be raised off of the ties 34, whereby the weight of the car is transformed by leverage to braking pressure applied to the sides of the car Wheels. The distance the lugs 54 are raised above the ties 34 varies in accordance with difierent widths of the car wheels and thus a means is provided to compensate for dilferent widths of wheels.

Although it is to be understood that a number of dif- 6 ferent systems may be employed for operating the car retarder provided by the present invention selectively to its open and closed positions, such as hydraulic, electric, or pneumatic means, the operating mechanism provided for this embodiment of the present invention is similar to that'which is described in detail in the prior US. patent application of H. S. Wynn, 'Serial No. 692,452, filed October 25, 1957. With reference to FIG. 3, this system includes, for a typical operating unit, electrically operable hydraulic control valves EV1 and EVZ, check valves 1V and 2V, and a control relay CR, in addition to a hydraulic cylinder C, plunger P, and restoration spring S.

The principle of operation of this control system is that the closing of a retarder operating unit when nocar is present on the portion of the retarder operated by that unit is accomplished by the lifting of the piston P by a suitable compression spring S, subject to hydraulic valve control, and the opening of the retarder operating unit is accomplished when certain hydraulic valves are actuated by the weight of a car forcing the plunger P downwardly and compressing to the spring S so as to permit the lugs 54 of the lever L1 to rest on the ties 34 and thus support the weight of the car and relieve the pressure applied by the brake beams to the car Wheels. Hydraulic control means is provided to selectively lock each operating unit independently in its open or closed position.

' The operating unit illustrated in FIG. 3, for example, is shown as locked in its closed position because of fluid being trapped beneath the plunger P within the cylinder C. This fluidis trapped because it cannot flow out through the check valve 2V, or out through the electric valve EVZ. Valve EV2 is closed because its control circuit is opened at back contact 102 of relay CR. Thus the operating unit U3 is maintained closed until the control relay CR becomes dropped away to permit applica tion of energy to wire OP and thus cause the opening of the valve EVZ to allow fluid to flow from the chamber in the cylinder C below the plunger P through check valve 1V to a point above piston rings 103 in the cylinder C so as to lock the retarder operating unit U3 in its open position. Fluid is trapped above the rings 103 under these conditions because the valve EV1 is deenergized at this time.

It is to be understood that the operating units U may be operated together for an entire retarder so as to open or close the entire retarder at one time, or the units U may be operated individually.

Having thus described a weight-automatic car retarder as one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that various adaptations, alterations and modifications may be applied to the specific form shown in accordance with the requirements of practice within the spirit or scope of the present invention except as limited by the appending claims.

What I claim is:

l. A car retarder having a plurality of car retarder sections disposed end to end in a stretch of railway track, each of several of the car retarder sections comprising, a section of track rail, inside and outside shoe beams disposed along the inside and outside of the track rail respectively, said outside shoe beam being secured to the track rail, an outside lever engaging one end of the outside shoe beam and disposed normal to the track rail,

said outside lever being adapted to bear on a fixed support outside of the track rail at one end and extending beneath the rail and terminating in a journal at the other end, an inside lever disposed normal to the track rail, said inside lever having one of its ends pivotally secured on said journal and the other end adapted to bear on an elevationally adjustable support, and a crank also pivoted on said journal having one end adjustably secured to said inside lever so as to adjust for wear of the shoe beams and having its other end operably connected to the inside shoe beam, whereby braking pressure is applicable section of track rail on railway ties, shoe beams disposed along the inside and outside of the track rail respectively, an outside lever engaging one endof the outside shoe beam and disposed between two of the railway ties, said outside lever having a bearing at one end adapted to bear on a fixed support outside of the track rail, said outside lever extending beneath the track rail and terminating in a journal at the otther end, an inside lever operably engaging said'inside shoe beam and disposed normal to the track rail, said inside lever having one of its ends pivotally secured on said journal and having a bearing at the other end adapted to bear on an elevationallyadjustable support, and a self-aligning bearing disposed on said outside lever beneath said track rail through which the Weight applied to the rail by a car wheel is transmitted to actuate said levers about said journal and,

thereby apply braking pressure to car wheels through the shoe beams proportional tothe weight of the car, said self aligning bearing comprising a bearing plate secured to the railwith a concave bearing surface formed on the lower surface thereof and a free floating disc having an upper. convex surface cooperating with said concave bearing surface and disposed between the bearing plate and the portion of the outside lever extending beneath the rail.

3. A car retarder according'to claim 2 wherein the bearing on the fixed support of the'outside lever is a self-aligning'bearing comprising a concave surface formed in the lower side of said one end of the outside lever and a free floating disc having an upper convex surface cooperating With said concave surface and disposed between the concave surface'and the fixed support outside of the track rail. 7

4. A' car retarder having a plurality of car retarder sections disposed end to end in a stretch of railway track, each of several of the car retarder sections comprising, a section of track rail on railway ties, inside and outside shoe beams disposed along the inside and outside of the track rail respectively for applying braking pressure against the sides of the wheels of a car, an outside lever engaging one end of theoutside shoe beam and disposed normal to the track rail, said outside lever being adapted to bear on a fixed support outside of the track rail at 0 one end, said outside lever extending beneath the track rail and terminating in a journal at the other end, an inside lever operably engaging said inside shoe-beam and disposed normal to the track rail, said inside lever having one of its ends pivotally secured on said journal and the other end adapted to bear on an elevationally adjustable support, and spring biased centering means for permitting said rail to move laterally in either direction within predetermined limits relative to a normal position. 7 5. A car retarder according to claim 4 wherein the spring biased centering means includes oppositely disposed springs acting against a lug protruding from said outside lever.

6. A car retarder according to claim 4 wherein the spring biased centering means is secured tothe ties and the limits of permitting lateral movement of the track rail relative to the biasing means is adjustable.

'7. A car retarder according to claim 4 wherein the spring biasing means comprises an abutment serving as a stop to prevent lateral movement of the outside lever thus serving as an'end thrust bearing for the retarder.

8. A car retarder according to claim 7 wherein the end thrust bearing is secured on a railway tie and is adjustable laterally With respect to the tie.

9. In a double rail weight-automatic car retarder for railroads having shoe beams extending between operating units along the sides of both rails of a track section, an anchorage engaging the shoe beams at substantially a midposition, said anchorage comprising telescoping levers extending transverse of the track section and beneath the track rails, one of said levers having lugs on the top thereof engaging the shoe beams associated with one of the track rails, and another of the levers having lugs on the top thereof engaging the shoe beams associated with the other of the track rails, whereby the shoe beams associated with oppositely disposed track rails of a track section are interlocked against each other with respect to torsional movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,906,347 Wenzel May 2, 1933 2,068,731 Brown Jan. 26, 1937 2,285,327 Brown June 2, 1942 2,815,097 MarSh Dec. 3, 1957 2,858,907 Brown Nov. 4, 1958 3,055,455 Williamson et al Sept. 25, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS I 29,904 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1912 

1. A CAR RETARDER HAVING A PLURALITY OF CAR RETARDER SECTIONS DISPOSED END TO END IN A STRETCH OF RAILWAY TRACK, EACH OF SEVERAL OF THE CAR RETARDER SECTIONS COMPRISING, A SECTION OF TRACK RAIL, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SHOE BEAMS DISPOSED ALONG THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE TRACK RAIL RESPECTIVELY, SAID OUTSIDE SHOE BEAM BEING SECURED TO THE TRACK RAIL, AN OUTSIDE LEVER ENGAGING ONE END OF THE OUTSIDE SHOE BEAM AND DISPOSED NORMAL TO THE TRACK RAIL, SAID OUTSIDE LEVER BEING ADAPTED TO BEAR ON A FIXED SUPPORT OUTSIDE OF THE TRACK RAIL AT ONE END AND EXTENDING BENEATH THE RAIL AND TERMINATING IN A JOURNAL AT THE OTHER END, AN INSIDE LEVER DISPOSED NORMAL TO THE TRACK RAIL, SAID INSIDE LEVER HAVING ONE OF ITS ENDS PIVOTALLY SECURED ON SAID 